6:20 Join John for our mayoral election roundup recorded here in the Troxy featuring some of the most important moments of the night so far in sound, video and photographs from our 2 reporters on the ground.

5:30 Poplar – results

49.64% Turnout Tower Hamlets First – Gulam Kibria Choudhury

Poplar – results

Election Candidate

Party

Votes

%

Gulam Kibria Choudhury

Tower Hamlets First

910

44.24%

Elected

Abdul Kahar Chowdhury

Labour

761

37.00%

Not elected

Anna Maria Mignano

United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP)

159

7.73%

Not elected

James Philip Robinson

Conservative

146

7.10%

Not elected

Richard Macmillan

Liberal Democrat

41

1.99%

Not elected

Naomi Ruth Byron

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

40

1.94%

Not elected

Table ℅ council
4:59: Onto the Council seats now:

48.26% turnout – Craig Aston Wins council seat for the Conservative Party

1:17: No official announcement yet but Rahman’s supporters and Rahman himself have congregated on the count floor and appear to be celebrating. Labour supporters gathered with Biggs who is look dejected.

Lufturs supporters celebrating, before the count announcement

00:19 Returning officer announces that council count will go ahead.

23:56 Second Preference Count Starts. The candidates still in the running are incumbent Lutfur Rahman and Labour’s John Biggs.

The Returning Officer explains the process:

23:42 The crowds outside the Troxy still haven’t abated. Police still denying anyone entry to the count.

Crowd continue to wait in large numbers outside the Troxy. Photo: Andy Goddard.

23:28 The BBC has given us pizza. That’s why I pay my license fee.

23:19 As expected, no party achieved 50% of the vote. Now the second preference count commences.

Audio of the announcement in the Troxy:

23:14 Mayoral candidates called to confer with returning officer. First announcements expected very soon.

Candidates huddle around the returning officer.

22:57 It’s officially a siege now. Pizza has arrived for the staff. Not for us journalists. Sources close to the count floor say that one of the candidates is experimenting with ordering a Papa John’s. Updates on count expected in twenty minutes.

22:49 Nobody allowed in or out of the building. Security told us to back away when we tried to get photos. We can hear chanting from outside and the police are up close and personal with the crowd. Barriers have been erected to keep them from the door. Still nothing going on inside.

22:33 Our package from before the chaos of the celebrations outside.

21:42 Further details, crowd outside are celebrating Rahman’s victory. Despite the fact that the count is still ongoing. The press have been reminded of the laws in play here. We don’t know who’s won, the count is not finished.

21:30 Press warned not to release information that could cause disturbance outside. We are allowed out but nobody is allowed in for one hour.

Police control crowds outside the Troxy Photo: Andy Goddard

20:59 Representatives called to check counts.

Candidates gather around to make sure that the count is right. Photo: Andy Goddard

20:55 Rumors from the press balcony: There is a feeling on the count floor that the mayor vote is going to second preference. Therefore advantage Biggs. Crowd outside is very strongly in support of Luftur Rahman. We are still on the scene.

1936: Just to keep you entertained here’s a run down of the stunning building the election count is taking place in.

1933: The Troxy was opened to the public. A stunning art deco cinema which featured a revolving stage, a Wurlitzer Cinema Organ and seated 3,520 people! (many of those seats occupied today by journalists, candidates and well-wishers eagerly awaiting the results)

1960: Due to wartime damage the cinema was closed.

1990: The building was used as a bingo hall! (Your dedicated reporters are entertaining themselves with this tremendous past time today!)

2006: From 2006 on the building has been used to host many events including todays count!

19:16 Andy’s at his graphs again. This time it’s a comparative turnout graph.

EU has generally a higher turnout. Both have nearly double last years effort. Good work on that voting Tower Hamlets. Graph: Andy Goddard

18:43 Press gallery rumours: High turn out may mean a win for John Biggs as second preference is more likely.

18:29 Press gallery rumours: Two horse race between Luftur Rahman and John Biggs. It will go down to whether or not second preference is instated. If Luftur gets a clean majority on the first round he’ll take it but if it gets to the second round John Biggs will win. Tense times in Tower Hamlets.

18:23 Voter turnout for Mayoral elections 86,542/181,871 making a percentage of 47.58% almost double last years vote. Very excited press gallery here. For the EU vote 164,242/82,403 50.78%.

Candidate officials approving the validation of the count.

18:18 Turnout announcement actually about to happen now. The returning officer is telling the web people some stats.

17:49 Interview with John Biggs ahead of the count.

17:42 Still waiting on the count to begin. Restless scenes outside.

Restless scenes outside of people expected the count to begin an hour ago at the latest.

16:49 Still awaiting voter turnout.

Former Adviser to Lutfur Rahman, Kazin Zaidi, tells ELL his election predictions as we await to outcome of the voting count underway at the Troxy.

16:27 Last box is being verified for mayoral ballots.

16:14 Latest update:

15:11 Labour supporters gathered around the count staff in anticipation of the turnout announcement.

Labour supporters gathered around the count. Photo: Andy Goddard

15:00 An exterior shot of the building to keep you going while we wait for that turnout.

Just to keep you going. Photo Andy Goddard

14:46 Turnout imminent, counters are counting furiously.

14:30 Verification of ballots is complete. The counters are having their refreshments. Turnout announced soon.

14:20 Graph of mayoral votes in 2010, turnout of 25.6%

Votes for mayoral candidates in 2013. Graph: Andy Goddard

13:21 Word on the press balcony is that the result will come down to turnout. If the turnout is high, we’ll see change, if it’s dropped then its more of the same.

13:07 A quick reminder of the council seat layout in the borough:

The current spread of seats for the local council in Tower Hamlets. Graph: Andy Goddard

12:46 Verification is underway. There is a buzz in the room and the sound of paper being rifled through. No results for a while yet. ELL is strapped in and ready to report. Vote count starts in a around an hour. Results expected to come in around five.

The count is underway here at the Troxi cinema in Tower Hamlets. Photo: Andy Goddard

The polls are now closed and no more votes may be cast in the borough of Tower Hamlets.

The electoral count is now underway with results expected to be announced later this afternoon.

We are running a live blog covering the electoral count in Tower Hamlets so stay with East London Lines for the most up-to-date coverage of the event.